VIDEO: Humpback whale plays with a log near Vancouver Island harbour

On Dec. 2, Lifeforce Ocean Friends found a four-year-old humpback named “Lorax” playing with a log, off the Comox Harbour.

“Logging is a term referring to when whales and dolphins are resting. This rare type of ‘play logging’ adds to our knowledge of their complex lives,” said Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce Ocean Friends director. “I watched her repeatedly going back and forth diving with the large log, lifting it onto her head and actively playing with it. Her playtime lasted for over 45 minutes. Then she joined two other humpbacks.”

This isn’t the first time a humpback has been spotted “play logging.”

“Over the years there have been five reported incidental sightings of similar behaviours with one of them also including Lorax,” said Hamilton. “Lorax was born in 2014 to ‘Ripple’ BCX1063. In 2015, she was the first humpback to curiously approach the Lifeforce research boat when we relocated our work to Vancouver Island. She was alone because they are only raised by mom during the first year. This time she had no interest in the boat or me as she was totally immerged with the log.”

Whale sightings are nothing new for Comox residents. Last summer, a transient orca spent nearly two weeks in the Comox Harbour.